Maruader Momentos: Of Life, Laughter, and Love
by Colie88
Summary: Their lives told from one moment to the next. Each chapter is a moment within their lives. Not told in chronological order, nor with a storyline in mind. Can be read as stand alone chapters.
1. Chapter 1

_A/N: This is a multi-chapter. Not a fic, really. Just bits and_ _pieces_ _of the_ _marauders_ _' lives over time_ _._ _These will not be in chronological order. I will try to make each time frame clear within the chapter._

 **Marauder** **Momentos: Of Life, Laughter and Love**

James Potter was a selfish jerk. He knew this. In fact, he embraced it. But occasionally, he hated himself for it.

Like now.

He stood near a sobbing Lily Evans, just hours after making a fool of her best friend and effectively ruining her friendship with him in front of most of Hogwarts. His Head of House had given him three days detention for that stunt and taken twenty points from him and Sirius, each.

All for a handful of seconds of amusement because they were bored.

James didn't know what to do. He felt like he had rocks in his stomach. The last thing he'd ever wanted to do was make Lily cry. And yet, here she was in an unused corridor, alone and sobbing into her knees not even three feet from him. James didn't know what to do.

Guilt ate at him. Hate for himself welled up inside. This wasn't supposed to happen. Not like this, not to her.

Silently, James moved closer to Lily, who either hadn't noticed him yet or didn't care to. He sat beside her against the wall and put an arm around her shoulders. Lily gasped and stiffened at his touch, but didn't push him away.

Slowly, Lily leaned against him. Her sobs calmed down to just hiccups after what James considered a million years.

"You're a prick, you know that?" Lily muttered.

James snorted. "To put it lightly." He squeezed her shoulder.

A few moments passed before she said anything else."James?"

"Yea?"

"Thanks,"

He smiled into her hair. "Anytime, Lils."

As curfew drew near, James decided that he didn't want to be a prick anymore. Or a selfish bastard. He didn't like it when Lily cried, didn't like how it made him feel, seeing the repercussions of his actions and swore to himself from that day on he would work on being a better person.


	2. Chapter 2

Maruader Momentos: Of Life, Laughter and Love

Minerva McGonagall surveyed the four boys over the top of her reading glasses.

"I trust you know why you're here?"

The first full day into their third year and already they were in her office. She sighed as they shook their heads.

"How about a guess?"

"Er, we're being made honorary prefects?" Sirius tried.

James elbowed him. "Be serious, Padfoot."

"Try again, Mr. Black,"

The boys looked helplessly lost, something they often weren't but pretended to be. However, in this case, she believed they honestly had no idea. Minerva grabbed a folded up parchment and leaned against the front of her desk. She held it up for them to see, the foot long paper unraveling.

"Hey! There's that list. I knew I hadn't lost it!" Remus exclaimed. Then he turned red.

Minerva pressed her lips together, trying not to laugh. "So you know what this is."

"It's our bet log," Peter said.

James closed his eyes. "Well, now that we've admitted to knowing for sure, she's got us,"

Shaking her head, Minerva rolled up the parchment. "You four are something else. Bets!"

"We got to make money somehow, Minnie. We get to go to Hogsmead this year!" Sirius said.

"While I find your...drive and entrepreneurship admirable, I cannot condone this. Betting on the longevity of a teacher is not something we do here."

"Huh?"

"She means betting on how long McHenry lasts is wrong." Remus clarified.

"Tactless. Rude. Against school policy," She ticked off on her fingers.

"But not the law," James piped up. "And technically, we didn't bet on how long he'd last..."

"Just how he'd go," Sirius said.

She pursed her lips and read off the parchment, 'Carried off by trolls', 'eaten by the Giant Squid' and 'thrown into the fireplace by house elves'." She sighed.

"Boys. You have many talents. Intelligence is one of them. This," she put the tip of her wand to the parchment, ignoring their gasps as it burned. "Is not a clever money making scheme. It is tactless, and frankly, I expect better from you boys. Not to mention it's against school rules. Any money you've collected so far must be returned and you will each loose five points. Am I clear?"

"Yes M'am."

She shooed them. "Get on to lunch then,"

The stumbled and clamored over the chairs, each other and the desks.

Sirius tapped Peter on the shoulder. "Got the copy we made? Greggory wants to put ten down at lunch."

It had been whispered, but in the empty room it had echoed. Minerva closed her eyes as they left, muttering, "I did not just hear that."


End file.
